ScorpCast v. Oanasun & MG Freesites: Dismissed With Prejudice After 1,310 Days
ScorpCast LLC, operating as HaulStars, sued Oanasun Entertainment SRL and MG Freesites Ltd. in the Eastern District of Texas over US9965780B2 — a patent covering user-generated video review systems. After 3.5 years of litigation, all parties filed a joint motion to dismiss, and the court closed the case with prejudice on January 17, 2024.
Multi-defendant video-review patent action resolved by joint dismissal in E.D. Tex.
ScorpCast LLC, doing business as HaulStars, filed suit on June 16, 2020 in the Eastern District of Texas (Case No. 2:20-cv-00203) before Chief Judge Rodney Gilstrap, asserting infringement of US9965780B2 — a patent directed at systems and methods for providing user-generated video reviews. Defendants included Oanasun Entertainment SRL and MG Freesites Ltd., both operating in the adult and broader digital video content space. The action was one of at least six related cases filed by ScorpCast around the same period in the same court.
The case concluded on January 17, 2024, when the court granted a joint motion to dismiss filed by all remaining parties. The dismissal was entered with prejudice, meaning ScorpCast is permanently barred from reasserting the same claims against these defendants. Notably, each party was ordered to bear its own costs, expenses, and attorneys’ fees — a structure consistent with a negotiated resolution rather than a courtroom loss, though the specific financial terms, if any, remain undisclosed.
The 1,310-day duration suggests the parties litigated substantively before arriving at resolution — likely through a combination of claim construction, discovery, and settlement negotiations. The joint motion covering multiple consolidated case numbers (including 2:20-cv-192, -193, -198, -200, -203, and -210) indicates a coordinated, portfolio-wide resolution across several defendants simultaneously. What drove the final settlement — licensing, design-arounds, or other commercial factors — is not disclosed in the public record.
Filing to dismissal in 1310 days
1,310 days — approximately 3.5 years from filing to joint dismissal
Joint dismissal with prejudice — what the court order means for each party
Dismissed with prejudice — a permanent bar on refiling
A dismissal with prejudice is a final judgment on the merits. ScorpCast cannot refile this action against Oanasun Entertainment or MG Freesites on the same patent claims. Unlike a without-prejudice dismissal — which leaves the door open — this order extinguishes the claims entirely. The joint motion signals mutual agreement, not a court-imposed ruling against either side.
Permanent resolutionEach party bears its own costs — a negotiated equilibrium
The court’s order that each party bear its own costs, expenses, and attorneys’ fees is standard in jointly negotiated dismissals. It means no fee-shifting under 35 U.S.C. § 285 (exceptional case doctrine) was triggered, and neither side sought to punish the other through cost awards. This structure typically signals a commercial settlement reached without a finding of bad faith or frivolous conduct by either party.
No fee-shiftingSix coordinated cases closed simultaneously by the same order
The dismissal order explicitly closed six related case numbers filed around the same time in E.D. Tex. — 2:20-cv-192, -193, -198, -200, -203, and -210. This multi-defendant, coordinated closure strongly suggests a global licensing or settlement arrangement resolved the entire campaign at once. Portfolio-wide resolutions of this type often reflect a single commercial agreement spanning all defendants rather than separate bilateral deals.
Global campaign resolutionE.D. Tex. filing — a deliberate plaintiff-friendly venue choice
The Eastern District of Texas under Chief Judge Rodney Gilstrap remains a preferred venue for patent plaintiffs due to its established patent docket and historically plaintiff-accessible procedures. ScorpCast’s decision to file multiple cases here simultaneously is consistent with an assertive licensing campaign strategy. The defendants’ willingness to jointly resolve rather than seek transfer suggests venue was not a winning defensive argument in this instance.
E.D. Tex. enforcement strategyFull party and counsel information
| Role | Name | Type | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plaintiff | ScorpCast, LLC | Company | Digital video platform (HaulStars) — holder of US9965780B2 covering user-generated video reviewsSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Defendant | Oanasun Entertainment, SRL | Company | Oanasun Entertainment SRL and MG Freesites Ltd. — digital video content distributorsSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Plaintiff counsel | Chad Phillip Ennis | Attorney | Counsel for ScorpCast, LLCSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Plaintiff counsel | Fred Irvin Williams | Attorney | Counsel for ScorpCast, LLCSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Plaintiff counsel | John Wittenzellner | Attorney | Counsel for ScorpCast, LLCSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Plaintiff counsel | Jonathan Lloyd Hardt | Attorney | Counsel for ScorpCast, LLCSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Plaintiff counsel | Michael Simons | Attorney | Counsel for ScorpCast, LLCSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Plaintiff counsel | Todd Eric Landis | Attorney | Counsel for ScorpCast, LLCSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Defendant counsel | Christopher Gerson | Attorney | Counsel for Oanasun Entertainment, SRLSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Defendant counsel | Frank M. Gasparo | Attorney | Counsel for Oanasun Entertainment, SRLSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Defendant counsel | Jaewon Lee | Attorney | Counsel for Oanasun Entertainment, SRLSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Defendant counsel | Jonathan Mark Sharret | Attorney | Counsel for Oanasun Entertainment, SRLSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Defendant counsel | Melissa Richards Smith | Attorney | Counsel for Oanasun Entertainment, SRLSearch in Eureka ↗ |
| Presiding judge | Judge Rodney Gilstrap | Chief Judge | Texas Eastern District Court — Chief JudgeSearch in Eureka ↗ |
Stipulation of dismissal — official text
The court’s order adopts the joint motion language verbatim, confirming that the resolution was entirely party-driven — the court made no findings on infringement, validity, or damages. The with-prejudice designation is legally significant: it functions as a final judgment, permanently extinguishing ScorpCast’s right to reassert these specific claims against these defendants. The simultaneous closure of six related case numbers under a single order strongly suggests the parties reached a single coordinated commercial resolution spanning the entire defendant group.
US9965780B2 — System and Methods for User-Generated Video Reviews
US9965780B2 (application no. US15/688566) protects systems and methods for enabling users to create, submit, and share video-based reviews within a digital platform context. The patent sits at the intersection of user-generated content architecture and video delivery technology — a space that underpins consumer review platforms, adult content sites, and a broad range of video-enabled e-commerce and media environments. The application was filed before the widespread maturation of user video review features across major consumer platforms, giving the patent potential breadth across common implementations.
From a strategic standpoint, US9965780B2 represents the kind of horizontally applicable software patent that can be asserted across multiple industry verticals simultaneously — as ScorpCast demonstrated by filing six coordinated cases. Any platform that allows users to submit video content as a form of review or rating may fall within the claims’ scope depending on implementation details. The patent’s persistence as an enforcement vehicle — generating multi-defendant litigation over three and a half years — confirms its commercial value to the holder and its threat relevance to operators.
Should your platform run an FTO check against US9965780B2?
If your product or platform enables users to upload, record, or submit video content as a review, testimonial, or rating — whether in e-commerce, entertainment, adult content, or SaaS — US9965780B2 is a patent your legal and product teams should evaluate. ScorpCast has already demonstrated willingness to assert this patent aggressively across multiple defendants. A freedom-to-operate analysis is particularly warranted for platforms that have not previously received a licensing approach from ScorpCast or HaulStars, and for those building or acquiring user-generated video review features.
PatSnap Eureka’s FTO Search Agent can map your product’s feature set against the claims of US9965780B2 and its related patent family, including any continuation or divisional applications filed from US15/688566 that may carry different or broader claim scope. Claim-level monitoring through Eureka allows your team to receive alerts if new applications in the ScorpCast family are published or granted — giving you time to adapt before litigation risk materialises.
Run a freedom-to-operate analysis on US9965780B2 to assess your product’s exposure
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What this case signals for the digital video and user-review IP landscape
A coordinated six-case dismissal suggests ScorpCast’s patent campaign achieved commercial results — or hit strategic limits. Both carry implications for platform operators.
US9965780B2 remains active — other platforms may still face exposure
Dismissal with prejudice only bars claims against these specific defendants. ScorpCast’s patent US9965780B2 remains in force. Any platform enabling user-generated video reviews should assess whether its implementation falls within the patent’s claims, particularly if it has not received a licensing approach from ScorpCast or HaulStars.
Coordinated multi-defendant campaigns signal organised IP enforcement
Filing six cases simultaneously against multiple digital video operators is characteristic of a structured patent assertion campaign. Companies in the user-generated content, adult entertainment, and video review verticals should monitor ScorpCast’s filing activity and patent portfolio for follow-on enforcement actions against new targets or continuation patents.
ScorpCast v Oanasun — key questions answered
The case was dismissed with prejudice on January 17, 2024, pursuant to a joint motion filed by all parties. The court ordered each party to bear its own costs, expenses, and attorneys’ fees. The dismissal permanently bars ScorpCast from refiling the same claims against these defendants. No trial occurred and no infringement finding was made by the court.
ScorpCast asserted US9965780B2 (application number US15/688566), a patent covering systems and methods for providing user-generated video reviews. The patent is held by ScorpCast LLC, which operates under the trade name HaulStars. The patent sits at the intersection of user-generated content platforms and video delivery technology.
ScorpCast filed at least six related cases against different defendants in the Eastern District of Texas around the same time in 2020. The joint dismissal order explicitly closed cases 2:20-cv-192, -193, -198, -200, -203, and -210 simultaneously. This is consistent with a portfolio-wide commercial resolution — likely a single licensing or settlement agreement covering all defendants rather than six separate bilateral deals.
Not necessarily. A joint motion to dismiss with prejudice means both sides agreed to end the litigation permanently. The court made no finding on the merits — no infringement ruling, no validity determination. The with-prejudice designation simply means ScorpCast cannot refile the same claims against these specific defendants. The underlying patent remains valid and enforceable against third parties.
The named defendants in case 2:20-cv-00203 were Oanasun Entertainment SRL and MG Freesites Ltd. The dismissal order also references Boutique Media PTY LTD, All 4 Health SRL, KB Productions LLC, Manica Media SL, and Bravomax Services Limited — defendants across the related consolidated cases closed by the same order, suggesting a coordinated multi-party litigation campaign by ScorpCast.
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